Devoted: A Third Person's Tale
by pikapiaaml
Summary: Brock's fallen in love ... But little does he realise, so has she ...


Disclaimer: Pokemon is not mine ... Jirachi is, however! :P  
  
This idea came to me when I was writing "How Much Can Happen In A Year?", which I will soon be ready to upload. However, this is about Brock ... I focus so much on AAML, that I forget there can be others involved. So, here's a brief view on Brock ...  
  
**Devoted ... A Third Person's Tale**  
  
"I've found her," he said excitedly, leaning over the table and accidentally dragging his sleeve in the leftovers of his half-eaten cream cake. His companion, at the time drinking his coffee, stared at him with disbelief, setting the cup back down on the table. He took a deep breath and looked at his friend in the eye.  
  
"You said that last time," he reminded him, removing his hand from the table rummaging around in his pocket for his wallet. Finding it, he pulled the thick object out, albeit with slight effort. "So, does she have any idea?" he began asking, opening the item up.  
  
"I don't think so," he replied, also retrieving his wallet from his pocket. He took out a note and left it on the table, his friend doing the same. He then stood up, stretching his arms. "Thanks Stu!" he called towards the counter, the man there nodding his head in thanks. His companion nodded back.  
  
"Well, aren't you going to tell me who she is?" the other man asked, walking towards the café door. Opening it, he stepped outside into the busy street and the bright sunshine about them. "Or do I have to guess?"  
  
"I'm meeting her soon," he hinted, both of them walking slowly along the street, various people walking past them. "That's all I'm gonna tell you. I have no idea what she'll say, or even do. But, she needs to know."  
  
"Brock, not again," the man sighed, feeling the futility of the situation hit him. "Are you sure about this? Do you wanna put your heart on the line so soon after it was trampled? You're 19, yet you've had your heart broken so many times that you have the relationship maturity of a 40 year old!"  
  
"Oh, and this strangely mature-sounding statement comes from the aged yet wise Ash Ketchum, the single 17 year old, who has always been, and always will be, single," Brock teased, elbowing him playfully and causing him to nearly walk into a lamp post.  
  
"Ah, so you think Brock," he replied, putting his hands deep into his pockets. He raised his head up towards the sky, enjoying the warmth of the sun across his face. "I'm just waiting for the right girl to come along. There's no point jumping in the deep end every time. When I find that someone, she'll be the one for me and I won't let her go."  
  
"Yikes, I didn't realise how much you'd thought about it," Brock mumbled, looking down on the floor. "I always go for it, because with the amount of travelling we used to do I thought that I might only meet every girl once, and so I shouldn't be afraid of being direct with each and every one of them."  
  
"Yeah, but you need to calm it down now," Ash said as they reached the entrance to the large grassy park, stopping to look at him. "Look, I gotta shoot off. I'm meeting someone soon," he apologised.  
  
"A girl by any chance?" Brock asked him, walking through the park gate as Ash continued to walk along the pavement.  
  
Ash laughed, raising his hand in the air. "See you later Brock!" he shouted, turning around and taking up a slight jog.  
  
Brock waved and turned back, taking a deep breath. He was nervous, far more than he thought he'd be. Glancing at his watch, he saw that he still had a few minutes left, so he began to walk slowly along the path, through the trees and past many family groups and couples that were there, enjoying the sunshine they had been granted that day.  
  
He kept running through his head all that he had planned to say to her, but every time he couldn't get it right. How could you explain to your best friend that you were in love with her? There's a fine line between friendship and love, something he'd had to remember when trying to assess her actions towards him. She wasn't someone who he could jump in with and hope for the best. This is someone who, if he messed it up, would remember it. She would be uncomfortable around him, unsure ... But to him, she was the most perfect person on the planet. She was-  
  
"Misty!" Brock called nervously, seeing her sitting on the park bench. She jumped slightly and turned her head towards him. Recognizing him, she waved to him and smiled widely, Brock doing the same. He moved over towards her and she moved along the bench, letting him sit down.  
  
"Glad to see you Brock," she greeted, kissing him on the cheek. Although it took a lot of his mental strength, he managed to prevent, and in some places suppress, the rush of heat that longed to burn across his cheek.  
  
"I was actually on my way over to your place to see you," he said, making her smile slightly. "Just lucky I went this way and bumped into you I guess." He paused before continuing, taking in a gulp of fresh air. "So then, what are you doing here on this fine and sunny day?"  
  
"Waiting for someone," she replied, flicking off a small insect that had jumped onto her blue skirt. "You don't live over that way, so where did you come from?" she asked him, turning her body towards him.  
  
"Just had coffee, with Ash," he told her, wanted desperately to skip the chit-chat Misty was gradually drawing him into and to actually talk to her about what had been agonizing him for the past two weeks. "He left to go see someone, so I thought I'd see what you were up ... " he faded off, noticing the huge and irrational smile that had spread across Misty's face. "What?" he asked her, glancing behind himself to see if anyone was there playing a trick on him.  
  
"It's nothing, I'm just so happy at the moment, I guess," Misty said, her voice filled with happiness and excitement. She reached out a hand and placed it on his arm, squeezing it. "Everything seems to be going just right for me... And I think I'm falling in love."  
  
Despite himself, Brock couldn't help but feel himself fill with hope. Was she going to say that he was the one she was in love with? That she wanted to be with Brock? "Wh-who is it?" he stuttered, edging slowly, ever so slowly, towards Misty.  
  
"Hey!" a voice called over to them from a distance. Misty's head turned sharply towards it, another smile lighting up on her face. Soon forgetting about Brock, she jumped up from her seat as, to Brock's complete horror and disbelief ...  
  
Misty ran straight into the arms of Ash.  
  
Nothing could have prepared Brock for the horrible crushing feeling that spread down his chest. Jealousy and anger soon accompanied them, jealousy that Ash at that very moment was holding the woman he loved, and anger because his best friend had just unknowingly betrayed him. Not wanting to seem stupid, he pushed himself up from his seat and walked over to the two of them, staring at each other with their arms around each other.  
  
"Brock, what are you doing here?" Ash asked him, surprised. Misty nudged him harshly, causing Ash to suddenly remember how he had just sounded towards his friend. "Uh, not that we don't want you here, that is. I just thought you had something to do, that's all."  
  
"It wasn't something important," Brock managed to say through his dry mouth and the unbelievable urge he had to cry. "And hey Ash, why didn't you tell me that you two were ... "  
  
"You mean he didn't know?" Misty asked Ash, both surprised and slightly angry that Ash had kept their best friend in the dark. "Ash, you told me that you'd told him! God Brock, I must have sounded so silly sitting talking to you like it could have been about anyone!"  
  
"Hey, I was gonna tell him earlier, but ... You were talking about me?" he asked jokily, smiling ruefully at Misty. "Was it something nice?" Misty then turned her head away from him slightly in mock anger.  
  
"Well, I'm ... surprised to say the least," Brock told them. "But, I'm happy for you," he managed to congratulate, patting Ash's arm. He was surprised at how he was able to control his large and tempting urge to punch Ash's lights out in front of everyone.  
  
"Thanks Brock," Misty whispered, genuinely touched and grateful that she had Brock's approval. "Hey, do you wanna come with us?" she asked him. "We're going to the movies."  
  
"I think I'll give it a miss," he said, trying quickly to get out of the situation. "I've got things to do, and I'd only be sitting there thinking I'm a third arm." He glanced down towards his watch. "Yikes, I'm late," he lied, turning around. "You two have fun, I'll see you later!" he said, walking off quickly.  
  
"Bye!" Ash called, turning to look at Misty, confusion all over his face. "That was weird. I half expected a talk on the do's and don'ts, but instead ... " he faded off, sighing. "Maybe it just surprised him," Ash said finally.  
  
"Yeah, I know I'd be in the same situation," Misty sighed sympathetically. "We'll call him later, see if we can all do something together. Anyways, let's go, shall we?"  
  
"Ok," he agreed, giving her a small kiss on her lips. Smiling as they parted, they began to walk off, arms still wrapped tightly around each other.  
  
Standing behind a bush, Brock let the tears fall as he watched them walk off together. He felt such a fool. He had been so sure that Misty would have said yes to him, and that she was the one for him. And yet ... The one for her was obviously Ash. He had seen the look in her eyes as he called to her, and the speed of which she ran to him. She had sat next to him and said she was in love with who was obviously Ash.  
  
And what was worst of all, he knew Ash felt the same, especially after what he had said as they had left the café, on his way to meet the woman he wanted to be with ... The woman both of them wanted.  
  
"Misty ... I love you," Brock whispered quietly, her form and that of Ash's now just a small dot in the distance. "And if you realise that one day ... I'll be waiting ... "  
  
...

**END**

Ugh, couldn't think of a title ... However, I reiterate ... I'm not a gymshipper, hence why Ash got the girl. But I like to use BAML so it gives a different side to Brock, other than his "I'll state the obvious" and "oooh, a pretty girl" sides. I hope you enjoyed it!  
  
RR please!  
  
Sayonara ...


End file.
